Conor McGregor, a former UFC champion, lost a major legal fight in Ireland. A Dublin appeals court recently rejected his challenge to a civil ruling from last year that found him liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in 2018. The court upheld a damages award of nearly €250,000 (about $284,897.04) to Hand, plus legal costs estimated at €1.3 million ($1.38 million USD), both unpaid. McGregor issued a heated statement, calling the process a “shake down.” Hand spoke about her trauma outside court.
The 2018 Case and Court Outcome
Nikita Hand accused McGregor of sexually assaulting her in December 2018 at the Beacon Hotel in Dublin. She filed a civil lawsuit in 2019, claiming she met McGregor at a Christmas party, went to a penthouse with him and others, and was assaulted after consuming drugs and alcohol. Hand stated McGregor pinned her to a bed, choked her, and threatened her life, causing bruising and PTSD. McGregor denied the allegations, insisting any encounter was consensual and Hand appeared fine afterward, noting another woman present who settled a separate lawsuit. Last year, Ireland’s High Court held the civil trial.
A jury of eight women and four men deliberated for over six hours, finding McGregor liable for assault and awarding Hand nearly €250,000. McGregor appealed, arguing the trial judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, erred by framing the case as “assault” instead of “sexual assault” and allowing questions about his 150 “no comment” responses to police. Justices Isobel Kennedy, Brian O’Moore, and Patrick MacGrath dismissed the appeal, stating the jury clearly understood Hand’s claim was rape.
McGregor’s Statement and Perjury Probe
McGregor blasted the ruling in his statement:
“James Lawrence awarded his clearance (I won’t say innocence because we were both long prior to this shake down awarded this)
He was awarded his clearance in a civil trial but he was not awarded his costs!
How incredibly wrong!
To be accused of rape, win your innocence, and then be hit with the collosal bill of your defense while the lawyers and accuser who done the case against you, and lost, get their money.
I don’t think I have ever heard the likes of this.
You are out of your fucking mind if you think I am paying James Lawrence legal costs, folks.
Who said I was paying his fees?
I said I didn’t know if I was, when the accusers barrister asked me on the stand, as I didn’t.
(who is paying his own fees I should have asked him at that time) ???
I was on the stand in a world of fog being accused of a crime I didn’t commit, and that I was actually cleared of criminally, and exonerated by every witness present, as well as believed twice over by the public prosecutor, but still up on a stand civilly, in absolute shock.
Some say the case never went criminal because there was “lack of evidence” that is not the case. It is the opposite! There was soo much evidence! They had HOURS OF FOOTAGE OF THE “VICTIM” AFTER THE SUPPOSED ATTEMPTED MURDER AND RAPE OF HER. Partying away, messaging away. Leaving the hotel / coming back etc. up and down, in the lobby of the hotel, absolutely everywhere and back. And twice. Not a fucking bother. Smiling, laughing, dancing, kissing, biting, play fighting.
It’s some watch.
I was home HOURS and this is all going on.
All seen CLEARLY with ALL THE CCTV FOOTAGE, and backed up by MULTIPLE EYE WITNESSES.
I wasnt even allowed to introduce crucial evidence that was apart of the criminal investigation / decision to bin it.
It’s been some eye opener this entire process, I tell you that good folks.
What has taken place here throughout these twice thrown in the bin criminal accusations is an absolute travesty!
How people sleep at night is beyond me.
I’m sure they don’t. Not soundly anyway, no way. Impossible.
To falsely accuse someone of rape and lose, then attempt to ignore that fact/brush it under the rug is truly heinous on another level!
Regards the new claim of the witnesses who came forward, I welcome it.
I believed their claim, as portions of it was verified through the response affidavit to it. Stephen Redmond burst out the door and skidded off after they had their fight. This part was verified in the response affidavit. For the witnesses to guess this exit would be impossible imo. The beginning of the fight was also verified on video record when Nikita assaulted Stephen and Stephen told her to stop hitting him. Nikita then got aggressive and said “I won’t fucking stop” it’s all there on the recording. Then the recording stops. What happened after? It just ended after that? Little calm exit? The witnesses said they seen what happened after. Where was Stephen in the ambulance? And ever again after that? It’s obvious they had a major, major fight!
Why these two witnesses were not called, i will never know.
It was on the very morning of. They were present and very eager to testify.
It seemed they were pulled out of fear from my appointed team tbh. For what I don’t know. These people said they seen something, let us all hear. If it’s legit, great, it sounds very legit to me. If it’s not, it’s on them.
Even Stephen, why he was never called originally also!
I am happy this is still ongoing.
Hopefully we hear from all.
I fight on with the truth and will continue to defend myself.
Ireland, amidst this SHAKE DOWN don’t let it distract you.
You can see what I am up against here and we knew this would always be the case.
WE FIGHT ON!”
James Lawrence awarded his clearance (I won’t say innocence because we were both long prior to this shake down awarded this)
He was awarded his clearance in a civil trial but he was not awarded his costs!
How incredibly wrong!
To be accused of rape, win your innocence, and…
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 1, 2025
McGregor’s team, led by Remy Farrell, withdrew affidavits from Hand’s former neighbors, Samantha O’Reilly and Stevens Cummins, who claimed Hand’s then-partner, Stephen Redmond, assaulted her around the time of the incident. Hand denied this, and her lawyer, John Gordon, accused McGregor of possibly inducing false statements. The court referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a perjury probe, which remains active.
Outside court, Hand spoke about the case’s impact.
“This appeal has retraumatized me over and over again, being forced to relive it, what happened has had a huge impact on me,” she said. “To every survivor out there, I know how hard it is, but please, don’t be silenced. You deserve to be heard, you also deserve justice. Today, I can finally move on and try to heal,” she added.
McGregor, 37, is a former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion from Dublin. He won the featherweight title against Jose Aldo in 2015 and the lightweight title against Eddie Alvarez in 2016, with notable knockouts against Dustin Poirier in 2014. His 2018 loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov led to a post-fight brawl and suspensions. His last UFC fight was a TKO loss to Poirier in 2021 due to a broken leg, and a planned bout with Michael Chandler last year was canceled due to a toe injury.
His legal issues include a 2018 arrest in New York for throwing a dolly at a bus, injuring UFC fighters. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Miami for smashing a fan’s phone and settled a Dublin pub assault lawsuit. In 2020, he was detained in Corsica for alleged indecent behavior but released without charges. A 2023 Florida lawsuit accusing him of sexual misconduct at an NBA Finals game is ongoing.
